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Patented Dec. 13, 1938 TROUSERS AND THE LIKE John Leslie Cornish, Falmouth, England Application February 10, 1937, Serial No. 125,143 In Great Britain February 21, 1936 4 Claims.

This invention relates to trousers, shorts and the like garments having means for adjusting the size of the waist. 'I'he most important considerations in devising adjustments of this kind are 5 that they should neither cause discomfort to the wearer nor be detrimental to the appearance or hang of the garment.

Numerous proposals have already been made to adjust the waistbands of trousers by forming therein folds, gussets or slits of adjustable width with various means for securing them in adjusted position. Other proposals include elas- .tic means whereby a pucker is formed in a part or parts of the waistband. Any adjustment, however, which involves forming an .obvious fold or pucker in a part of the garment where none is normally present will detract from the fit and appearance of the garment and will be liable to be uncomfortable in wear.

An object of the present invention is the provislon of adjusting means which will be substantially invisible, will retain the smooth fit and appearance of the waistband in any adjusted position and will occasion no discomfort to the wearer.

Trousers, shorts and the like are normally provided at the waist with front pleats which coincide with the creases in the legs of the garment and according to the present invention an adjustment of the waist is eiected by varying the depth of these front pleats. The waist portion or band ls provided with folds, the external edges of which correspond with the edges of the ordinary front pleats and means are provided for varying the width of the folds and securing them inv any of several positions.

The securing means comprise straps or tabs inside of the waistband arranged to pass across the folds and be fastened to one or other of a number of buttons or other attachment means. 40 The front ofthe waistband between the folds is finished off in any suitable way, either by straps sewn to the outer edges of the folds and forming continuations of the waistband secured bya central buckle or the like or by continuing the inner part of one of the folds across the iiy front and hooking or buttoning it adjacent the other fold.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, applied in two ways.

Figs. l and 2 are respectively a frontand a rear view in perspective of a trousers top incorporating one form of adjustable securing means.

Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views showing a modified form of the securing means.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a pair of trousers A is provided with shaping pleats B and C of which the pleats B coincide as usual with the creases D in the trouser legs.

In the waistband E are formed fiat folds F, the external edges of which form continuations of the iront pleats B. Inside the front of the h waistband are sewn two straps or tabs G which pass across thefolds and can be buttoned to any of three buttons H1, H2, H3 to secure the adjustmerit and hold the folds F flat against the inside of the waistband. The waistband is finished olf in front with straps J sewn to the edges of the folds F and secured by a buckle K.

In Figs. 3 and 4 the adjustment is made in a similar way by varying the width of the folds F but, to secure the adjustment, straps L of the material of the waistband are led through eyelets M to the inside of the waistband, wherethey pass across the folds and are fastened to any of the buttons H1, H2, H3. In place of the buckle shown in Figs. l and 2 the front of the waistband is-nishcd off by a portion of waistband N which covers the top of the fly and is hooked to a bar O. The eyelets M, which may be of metal, Celluloid or any suitable material, are preferably colored similarly to the cloth of the trousers, in

which case they are nearly invisible in use.

It will be seen that in both forms of construction the waistband remains smooth and unpuckered in all adjusted positions, the only apparent effect of a tightening adjustment being to deepen the' front pleats, which detracts in no way from the appearance and hang of the trousers.

It will be notedthat the outer folds of the pleats are non-rolling and that the adjustment of the waist portion is achieved solely by the rolling of the inner folds. In Figs. 1 and 2 the rolling of the outer folds is prevented by the attachment of the belt straps J to the bights of the outer folds. In Figs. 3 and 4 the tapes or straps L are attached to the bights of the outer folds and in this way the pleats are held to alinement with the creases D of the garment.

It will also be noted that the straps G of Figs. 1 and 2 and the straps L of Figs. 3 and 4 exert their pull or rolling force on the inner folds from points on the inner walls of the inner folds spaced from the bights of such inner folds. Thus these straps G and L may draw the inner folds inwardly to a considerable extent at the same time functioning to maintain the inner folds flat against the waist portion.

In Figs. l and 2 the belt J retains the outer folds ofthe pleats in position and in a substantially iiat condition so that they preserve their alinement with the creases-D in all adjusted positions. The i'act that the outer folds are non-rolling insures this permanent alinement. In Figures 3 and 4 the vattachment of the straps L with the bights of the outer folds subserve the same function.

The term "secured as used in the claims with reference to the straps G of Figures i and 2 and L of Figures 3 and 4 is intended to cover both constructions in that the straps L of Figure 4 are viewed as being slidably secured to the inner fold through the eyelet or slot M. Of course in Figure 2 the straps G are flxedly secured to the inner folds as by stitching'or the like.

What I claim is:-

1. In trousers, shorts and the 4like bifurcated garments, a garment body having leg portions and a `waist portion, said leg portions having front creases therein, said waist portion having front pleats comprising inner and outer folds, the edges of said folds formed with bights, the

bights of the outer folds forming continuations `of said creases, means secured to the bights of the outer folds to prevent the samefrom rolling and to hold the bights of the outer folds permanently in continuation of said front creases, means secured to parts of the inner folds spaced from the bights thereof to roll said inner folds in the contracting and expanding of the Waist portion and pressing against the inner folds to hold the same flat, and adjustment connections on the inside of the waist portion for said second means.

2. In trousers, shorts and the like bifurcated garments, a garment body having leg portions and a waist portion, said leg portions having front creases therein, said Waist portion having front pleats comprising inner and outer folds, the edges of said folds formed with bights, the bights of the outer folds forming continuations of said creases, means secured to the bights of the outer folds to prevent the same from rolling and to hold the bights of the outer folds permanently in continuation of said creases, straps inside the 45 waist portion secured to the inner walls of the inner folds at points spaced from the bights thereof to roll said inner folds in the contracting and 'expanding of the Waist portion and pressing against the inner folds to hold the same fiat, and adjustment connections on the inside of the waist portion Vfor said straps.

3. In trousers, shorts and the like bifurcated garments, a garment body having leg portions and a waist portion, said leg portions having front creases therein, said waist portion having front pleats comprising inner and outer folds, i

the edges of said folds formed with bights, the bights of the outer folds forming continuatlons of said creases, straps secured to the inner walls of the inner folds at points spaced from the i bights thereof to roll said inner folds in the contracting and expanding of the waist portion and pressing against the inner folds to hold the salme fiat, adjustment connections on the inside of the waist portion for said straps, and a iinishing belt having its end portions attached to the bights of the outer folds and extending across the gap between said pleats for holding the bights of the outer folds against rolling and in continuation of the front creases,

4. In trousers, shorts and the like bifurcated garments, a, garment body having leg portions and a Waist portion, said leg portions having front creases therein, said waist portion having front pleats comprising inner and outer folds, the edges of said folds formed with bights, the bights of the outer folds forming continuations of said creases, straps secured to the bights of said outer folds passing inwardly through said waist portion and across the inner folds so as to hold the inner folds fiat and the bights of the outer folds permanently in continuation of the frontcreases, adjustment connections on the inside of the waist portion for said straps, a finishing belt attached at one end to the inner fold of one pleat and extending across the front of the garment, and attachment means for the other end of said belt near the outer fold of the other pleat.

JOHN LESLIE CORNISH. 

